Rail lubricator



' Sept. 30, 1947.

- R. s. MEN NIE I RAIL LUBRICATOR Filed July 16, 1942 5 sheets sheet 1 INVENTOR. Robe/'7" s Menm'e #92; QM

Sept. 30, 1947. R. s. MENNIE 7 2,428,171

RAIL LUBRICATOR Filed July 16, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 v v I7 INVENTOR. v

I v Robe/7'5 Mann/l2 Sept. 30, 1947. i MENNiE 2,428,171

RAIL LUBRICATOR Filed July 16, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. /7 v Roberf S. Mean/e q/xm'w Sept. 30, 1941.

s. MENNIE RAIL LUBRICATbR Filed July 16, 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 lEO INV ENTOR. Rube/ 7 5. Mannie BY 2; zm

' its normal volume. v

1 Important objects of the invention relate to the provision oi a novel and advantageous rail Patented Sept. 30, 1947 ururso s'ra'rss "PA-TENT ormcs I will: it 2:24:22 421.09:

1 The present invention relates to improvements in automatic rail lubricators adapted to apply relatively thick grease to the inner surfaces of the heads of outside rails at curves of a railroad track where the need of lubrication is great, and more particularly to lubricators which are operated by rolling stock passing along the track. Where there is a double track a rail lubricator may be placed at the beginning of a curve, but where there is only one track a rail lubricator may be placed at the middle of a curve so that a train passing in one direction will lubricate the outer rail in one direction from the middle of the curve and a train passing in the opposite direction will lubricate the outer rail along the remainder of the curve.

One great disadvantage of the prior track lubricators oi the general character under consideration is that too much lubricant is supplied to the rails resulting in great waste and an accumulation of grease on the rails, ties and ballast. In most rail lubricators there is a considerable after flow, that is flow after the rolling stock has passed beyond the point of lubricant application. In my Patent #2,229,11l, January 21, 1941 provision has been made to prevent afterflow. However, with all prior rail lubricators there has been a tendency to feed too much grease and it has been practically impossible to avoid such excessive teed. An important reason for this difllculty is that lubricant such as grease is put under very heavy pressure as it is fed to the rail. Where grease is advanced under high pressure, the' grease is compressed and unless prevented in some way will continue to flow for a substantial time after the pressure producing means has ceased action. This is due to the fact that the grease after compression will tend to return to lubricator which is economical to manufacture,- is readily installed, is eiflcient in action, and is economical in the use of lubricant such as grease.

Another important object is to provide an improved rail lubricator in which the grease-teeding device operates at low pressure.

Another important object is to provide a rail lubricator whereby only a predetermined quantity of lubricant will be discharged on the rail head for each operation of the lubricator as the rolling stock passes that portion or the track,

I 12 Claims. (01. 184-3) z rail deflection or by engagement of such initially operated part of the lubricator by the wheels or other parts of the passing rolling stock. In any event there will be considerable variations in operation of the lubricator due to variations in rail deflection. Such variations in rail deflection may be caused by variation in the weights of rolling stock units such as cars. variation in the loads carried by cars, and'changes in various track 19 conditionaior example, if the ballast be frozen the track will be rigidly supported and the rail deflection will be much less than normal, and if track drainage be poor it may happen in certain seasons that rail deflection will be considerably more than normal.

A further object of the invention is to provide a lubricator actuated by rail deflection in such a manner that each downward impulse due to rail deflection will result in the same volume of 20 lubricant discharge irrespective of variations in degree of such deflections or impulses. The importance of obviating variations in lubricant discharge due to variations in rail deflection, is apparent.

According to one way of carrying out the in- 3o hydraulic means fluid displaced from a cylinder of comparatively large diameter may be transmitted to the piston of a comparatively small cylinder, which under normal conditions would result in a relatively great movement of said last mentioned piston. However, while it is necessary to obtain a substantial movement of the second piston from a comparatively slight movement of the first piston in order to produce a certain length of stroke for the second piston, it is also necessary not to exceed such certain length. To

this end the movement of the second piston is limited by a positive stop, preferably precisely adjustable, and there is provided a pressure relief valve so that when the movement of the second piston is checked by'said stop, the hydraulic fluid escapes and may pass to a reservoir for later use;

The stroke of thesecond piston may be precisely adjusted bymeans of the adjustable stop to an amplitude suiiicient to operate the lubricant discharge in a uniform manner and to'supply the desired amount of lubricant to the rail. When the second or small piston has completed its travel and engages the stop, any further movement of the large piston opens the relief valve and the surplus fluid displaced is discharged to at the end of a veryshort stroka' when the secondary piston stops, pressure will rise and the relief valve will be opened and remain open during the remainder of the downward stroke of the primary or main piston. The force transmitted from the primary to the secondary piston will depend on the release valve setting. Higher or lower relief valve opening pressures will produce a corresponding higheror lower actuating force on the secondary piston.

The secondary piston is" used to actuate a lubricant pump which will be operated by any movement of the secondary piston and will feed to the rail an amount of grease proportional to the movement of the secondary piston.

The movement of the secondary piston into engagement with. the stop is effective against the action of a spring or other resisting means which tends to move the secondary piston back from the stop to its original position. This kinetic energy 4 l2 secured to the inner side are rail In at the outside of a curve by any suitable means such as bolts i3 and nuts [4. Said plate i 2 may serve not only to actuate the apparatus but also as part of a nozzle device through which lubricant such as grease may be supplied to the rail near the top of the rail-head at the inner side thereof.

The apparatus disclosed in Figs. 1 through 6,

comprises a lubricant-supply device it, a lubricant pumping system to feed lubricant from the I lubricant supply device to the rail, and a hydraulic system for operating the lubricant pumping system. Preferably both of these systems are contained mainly in a main integral casting i6 and both the casting it together with the lubricantsupply device are enclosed in a casing I1 located between two successive ties ii. For the purpose of operating the lubricating device, the plate I2 is provided, preferably near its base, with an arm it having at its outer end a downwardly facing socket [9 with a part-spherical inner surface receiving the part-spherical upper part of a head on the upper end of a pump piston rod 2i extending downwardly through plug or sleeve 22 secured as by external screw threads in the upper end of a barrel 23, receiving part of a primary piston 24 of smaller cross section than the inside of the barrel 23 and fitting into a is converted into potential energy which in turn is converted into kinetic energy to operate means for feeding grease to the rail. This return movement is free from any variations which occur in the movement toward the stop and the secondary piston in this movement is utilized to operate a metering and feeding device to supply lubricant such as grease in uniform quantities regardless of any violent blows struck on the rail or a lubricator part, by the fast moving train.

According to another embodiment of the invention, the hydraulic means may be replaced by mechanical means.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear upon consideration of the following detailed description and of the drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in elevation of apparatus embodying a preferred form of the invention, partly in section along the line i-l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken along a line 2-.2 of Fi 1, certain parts being broken away;

Fig. 3 is a view as seen from the right of Fig. 1, the casing being shown in section and parts of the apparatus being broken away or removed show the underlying structure;

Fig. 4 is a view as seen from the left of Fig. 1, part of the apparatus being in section taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken partly along the line 5-'-5 of Fig. 3 and partly along the line Sir-5a of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is a section taken along the line 6-0 of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but illustrating a modified form of the apparatus; and

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but illustrating the modified form of the apparatus.

Referring to the drawings the rail lubricatin device is one adapted to be operated when a train passes along a track comprising rails Ill and supporting ties H carried by the usual ballast, and operation .of the device may-be produced directly by depression of a rail or by depression of some other member adjacent the rail. trative embodiment of the invention disclosed in Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6, the apparatus may be operated through an actuating'm'ember or plate cylinder 25 communicating at its upper end with the lower end of the barrel 23. It will be seen that socket i9 and the part-spherical upper part of head 20 constitute a ball and socket joint which serves as a universal connection.

At each depression of the outer rail ill the piston 24 will be forced downwardly against the action of a spring 26 interposed between the lower end of the primary piston 24 and a plug 21 closing the bottom of a chamber 28 formed in the main casting beneath the cylinder 25 and connected with the lower end thereof. The downward movement of the piston 24 forces oil or other hydraulic liquid from the chamber 28 through a passage 2! into a chamber 30 beneath the lower end ofa secondary piston 3| in the form of a rod fitting in a bore 32 constituting a power cylinder and forces the rod or secondary piston 3| upwardly against the action of a spring 33 until the upward movement ofthe rod or piston ii is stopped by engagement of the upper end of the rod with a set screw 34 threaded into a plug 35 screwed into a bore in the main casting and having at its lower end a guide for the upper end of rod or piston 3 l. The spring-33 surrounds the rod 3| and is interposed between the lower end of the plug 35 and the upper side of a yoke 24 which may be integral with rod 3i and interposed between the end portions of the rod. The lowermost position of the rod or secondary piston 3i may be determined by engagement of the lower face of the yoke 36 with the casting in which bore 32 is located.

If the piston 24 be forced downwardly to a greater extent than necessary to produce a full stroke of secondary piston 3i, the pressure of the hydraulic liquid will build up beneath the hollow piston 24 and acting through a port 31 in the lower end of said primary piston 24, will force up a check valve 38 against the action of a spring 39 on the piston and interposed between the relief valve 38 and the lower end of piston red It,

taining the supply of hydraulic fluid for the system. This opening of the check or relief valve may be considered as disabling the rail-actuated means for operating the secondary piston 3i.

Upward movement of primary piston 24 results in closure of check valve 36 unless it is already in that condition and acts to cause the opening of A valve 43 inthe bottom of chamber 42 against the action of a helical spring 44 thus permitting the hydraulic fluid from the chamber or reservoir 42 to pass downwardly through a port or passage 46 into a chamber 46 and from this chamber through end bf the spring '44.

For reasons to be brought out more fully hereinafter. it may be necessary to adjust the set screw 34. In order to keep said screw 34 covered while leaving it easily accessible, there is provided a cap 6! which can be screwed down over the outside of ring 63 in alignment with the disc 66. this disc being connected with the shaft 63 to turn therewith, but being slidable therealong. and being urged toward the right (Fig. 5) by a spring 66 for a reason to be brought out hereinafter.

The ring 63 is intermittently operated by the shaft 53 and actuates a rotary cylinder-carrying part of a lubricant pump 66. Such cylindercarrying part comprises an annulus 61 having radial cylinders or bores 66 containing hollow pistons 69 facing outwardly. Surrounding the v annulus 61 and fixed thereto is a ring "Ill providing outer ends for the cylinders 66 and having therein ports H through which lubricant may be drawn into the cylinders and later be discharged. In each of the hollow pistons 69 is a helical spring 12 interposed between the bottom of each piston 69 and the inside of the ring Ill, thereby rendering it easy to operate the pistons by alternately compressing and releasing the springs 12,

by means 'of a cam 13 in the form of a disc sur- 1 rounding shaft 63 and secured against rotation as by a pin 14 passing through-the cam and into the material ,of the bearing 69. This cam 13 is designed to have a uniform fall and preferably engages non-friction members 16 radially from the bottoms of pistons.

the externally threaded plug into which is Y threaded the set screw 34 of which the lower end serves as a stop for the upper end of the rod or piston 3|.

As will he brought out more fully hereinafter the up-stroke of piston 3| is the idle stroke and the downstroke is the operative stroke. It will be evident from the foregoing description that the rod or secondary piston 3i normally has a limited movement of definite length and. that this movement can be varied by adjustment of the set screw 34. As hereinbefore stated, the rod 3i is provided at an intermediate point with the yoke 36 between which and the lower end of the sleeve or plug 36, the spring 33 is interposed,

The yoke 36 receives the rounded end of a generally horizontal arm 62 fixed at one end on a shaft 63, which shaft has a reduced extension 64 engaging a removable cover 66 of a-chamber 66 in which the arm 62 moves. At the other end, the shaft 63 is engaged by a cover-plate 61 secured to the main casting as by screws 68, so that the shaft is held against longitudinal movement between the cap or cover 66 and the cover-plate 61. The shaft 63 may be supported in a bearing 69 forming part of the main casting. I

The shaft 63 may be used to operate a pumping device for the lubricant, preferably grease, to be supplied to the inner surface of the rail head. As will be brought out more fully hereinafter, the degree of rotation of the shaft 63 on each movement of the arm 62 is very slight and in order to transmit this motion to a rotatable part of the lubricant-pumping. device. it is necessary to providemeans whereby a very slight turn may be given by the arm which may thereafter move back freely to its normal position when the piston rod 2| moves upwardly. The desired effect may be obtained by a suitable clutch which may include an inner disc 66 containing suitably shaped notches 6| in which are disposed rotary members such as rollers 62 which serve to form an operative one-way driving connection corresponding to a ratchet having an infinite number of teeth between the member or disc 66 and an external ring 63. At opposite sides of the disc 60 are retaining members or plates 64 which hold the- The rotary element includes the piston-carrying annulus 61 and the peripheral ring 10 which fits into a recess in the main casting. Preferably the outer surface of ring 10 and the corresponding peripheral inner surface of the recess or seat in the main casting are made conical or tapered so that spring 66 will press the parts together axially and produce a good liquid seal at all times. It should be noted that such seal can readily be effected due to the fact that the pump advances the lubricant under low pressure.

As illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5 there are at the inner peripheral surface of the recess a suction chamber 16' between barriers or bridges I1 and I6 and one or more discharge chambers in the space between said barriers l1 and 18 at the side opposite to said suction chamber. Although two'discharge chambers 19 and 66, separated by a barrier or bridge iii are shown in Fig. 4, it should be understood that this number may be varied.

Actuation 'of the rotary part of the pump 66 I pass through the suction zone from barrier 11 to barrier 18, this piston. as well as with all other pistons, coming into communication with the suction chamber will draw into the corresponding cylinder lubricant from any suitable source of supply. As soon as a'cylinder reaches and passes the barrier 16, the corresponding piston will be moved outwardly by the cam l3 and lubricant will be forced from this and other cylinders in the discharge zone and consequently from the pressure or discharge chambers I6 and 66 and outwardly through outlets 62 and 33 and flexible ducts or hose lines 64 and 66 to openingsor inlets 86 and 61 extending through aplate. to which the hose lines are secured. The plate 66 may rest. on a shelf at the face of the actuating plate or actuator l 2 and may be provided at its inner face with a shelf or ledge to support a so-called wiping projecting 7 bar I! which below the head. of the rail I isgripped between the plate I2 and plate 00 by means such as bolts I3 and nuts ll. Above the bottom of the rail head there extends a thin upper part of the wiping bar 00 which is thin enough to avoid pinching between the rail and the flanges of the wheels passing along the rails. The inlets 06 and 01 communicate with the inner ends of longitudinal ducts 90 and 0| respectively and these longitudinal ducts communicate in turn with upwardly directed thin nozzle passages 02 and 03, through which the grease is applied to the rail head. Obviously the pistons 00 operating in the discharge'zone move very slightly at each depression of the rail and the grease is advanced under low pressure and after flow is thus avoided.

It will be evident that, it the main casting It were rigidly mounted, movement oi. rail I0 transversely of piston rod- 2I- would tend to cramp the rod and the primary piston 24 in the casting I0 and to bend the piston rod. In order to avoid difliculties arising from such conditions, there should be a flexible mounting of the main cast.-

versal connection may take the form shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 5, in which a member 05 in the form of a U is secured as by welding to the bottom of the casting I1 and the upright arms or sides of the U-shaped member are provided at their tops with suitably shaped notches 06 adapted to receive aligned pivot pins or journals 0'I projecting from opposite faces of a block 08 pivoted by means of pivot or pin 09 between arms I00 projecting downwardly from the casting I6 at opposite sides of the position occupied by the plug 21. The pivot 00 may have a head at one end and maybe held in place by suitable means such as a transverse pin IOI passed through its opposite end. Due to the provision of the notches 06, the casting or "assembly It may easilybe inserted into or removed from the casing II.

The lubricant may b'essupplied to the suction chamber I6 through a supply passage I02 which may have at its outer end an internally threaded opening to receive an externally threaded end of a fitting or union I03 to connect it to a flexible hose I04 which in turn may be connected to a positionally arranged lubricant-supply tank or cylinder I05 comprising part of the lubricantsupply device I5, by means of a union I06 having one end screwed into a passage in a closure or end I01 of said tank I05.

Preferably the tank I05 is cylindrical and is supported in cradles I00 on the bottom of the casing II, the tank being substantially parallel to the ties II. As suction-is exerted through the hose I04, the grease or lubricant may be forced from the tank into the hose by atmospheric pressure. lfreierably this result maybe attained by having the cylinder end opposite to end I0'I open and providing a piston I00 with a skirt IIO inserted into the cylinder I05 with the skirt IIO facing the end I0I. A substantially fluid-tight fit may be effected by providing a cupped washer II-I having a fiat portion resting wire or the like engaging the cupped washer at the bend. between the two parts thereof and a retaining disc H3 engaging the fiat portion of the washer II I and so formed at its periphery to receive the ring III and hold it in position.

drawal of the tank I05.

The disc III may be secured to'piston I00 in any suitable manner as by means of rivets Ill. r

II5-projecting from its outer side. When the 0 supply f grease in a tank I05 is exhausted, the union I00 may be loosened and the tank lifted out of the casing II. Another tank I05 which is full of grease may then be inserted and attached to hose I04, or the empty tank may be refilled by drawing piston I00 out of the cylinder. refilling the. cylinder, replacing piston I00 in the cylinder, placingthe cylinder in the casing, and again connecting the hose I00 with the cylinder I05.

Obviously it is desirable to keep the casing I I closed during normal operation and to make it particularly easy to open for insertion or with- To this end, the part containing the grease cylinder is made somewhat higher than the part containing the pumping apparatus which part is supplied at its top with a stifiening frame which at its sides is made up of a 'metal angle and at the side-toward the grease tank I05 is provided with an upwardly extending flange I I6 01' which the top is level with the tops of the sides and end of this part of the casing to receive a cover I" having a downwardly extending flange I I8 adapted to fit around the top of this part of the casing II. The part of the casing containing the pumping apparatus may be protected from above by means or a cover H0 secured in position by any suitable means such as screws. Oi. course this cover II! is provided with openings to accommodate the piston rod 2| and the hose lines 00 and 05. e I

The modified form 91 apparatus illustrated in Flgs. 'I and 8 differs fromthat shown in Figs.'1

the greasepump 00, the downward swing oi arm 52a. would operate to cause operation of the grease pump. Such downward swing of the arm may be efiected by means of a helical spring I120 of which the lower end engages the top of'arm 52a at its outer end and the upper end engages bracket I200, fixed on upright rod or slide 2 la, and the limit of the downward movement of arm 52a is determined by an adjustable stop I2I in the form of a set screw carried by a fixed arm I22.

The upward or return movement of the arm 52a is resisted by the spring no and may be et- Iected by means of an upright rod or slide 2Ia slidable in guides in the main casting IGa and suitably connected to the rail I0 to be lifted thereby as the rail rises to its normal position after the passage of rolling stock wheels. The rod 2Ia is adjacent the hub of arm 52a and acts on said arm by means of a pin I23 projecting from said rod and normally engaging the lower side of arm 52a. to hold thesame in raised position when no train is passing. Due to the closeness of pin I23 to the axis of shaft 53, a slight downward movement of the pin will permit a substantial rotational movement of theshaft 53 and thus feeding of .grease to, the rail by means of the pump 60.

The connection with the rail l0. whereby therod 21a may be lifted when the rail returns to its usual raised position may be obtained byfastening the part spherical portion of the head 20a of rod Zla in the hemispherical socket I! of the arm is projecting from the plate l2 secured to the rail, by means of a plate I24 having a central opening receiving the stem of head 20a with the bounding wall thereof curved to conform to the part of the part spherical surface of head 20a below a substantially horizontal plane through the center of the spherical surface; Plate I24 may be secured to arm l8 at opposite sides of the socket l9 by bolts or the like. As in the first form disclosed, the main casting lid is supported on a universal connection 94a on the bottom of easing II.

It will be evident that changes in the distance between rail and ballast levels if sufllciently large -may affect adversely theoperation of the lubricator. Such changes may be caused as by heaving of the track and bedding down of the track.

Heaving of the track under, action of frost is the direct result of insufficient roadbed drainage.

This condition, at times, may become dangerous and must be corrected. To restore the track surface it is customary to shim up the low points by inserting suitable shims between tie and rail wherever necessary. It will be obvious that both the heaving of track and the resultant shimmi'ng operations tend to change the distance between rail and ballast levels. Inasmuch as heaving may occur at the point of lubricator, installation, provision must be made to accommodate such disturbances (either heaving or shimming), without interfering with the normal operation of the lubricating machine.

In the hydraulic type of lubricator shown, it is proposed to make the primary hydraulic cylinder of such length that either heaving or 'shimming of track will merely result in a vertical displacement of the primary plunger or piston working in said cylinder. In other words if the rail will operate at from 500 to 1000 revolutions per area of rubbing contact.

. 1o able wear between the rotating part of this by draulic lubricator and the stationary hearing I therefor. However, even under very heavy trafflc conditions the rotating part would make not more than 200 revolutions per 24 hours, or 73,000 revolutions per year. Ordinarily, a rotary pump minute, which is 202,800,000 to 525,600,000 revolutions per year. The rate of wear is proportional to speed of operation and load applied per unit In the proposed rail lubricator both of these wea'r governing factors are exceedingly low, and it is anticipated, therefore, that the rate of wear will be correspondingly low.

Because of certain characteristics in the flow of grease under pressure, it is virtually impossible to be sure that each nozzle will receive its proper or proportionate amount of grease unless each nozzle is supplied from an independent pump, or from an independent pressure chamber. The proposed lubricator therefore provides independent pressure chambers for each nozzle.

Accurate grease feed control is attained in that each nozzle is certain to receive its proper share of grease, in exact proportion to the movement a of the pump pistons of which it is supplied, and

stood that the terms large and small refer to should heave or be shimmed up say inch the I primary piston would continue its normal function at a level inchhigher than usual. The amount of heaving or shimming that can be accommodated is merely a matter of design, and depends on the capacity of the primary cylinder.

Care should also be taken of the gradual bedding down of rails and ties into the ballast under.

prolonged trafllc movements. Inasmuch as the lubricating machine is supported .by the ballast,

, such bedding down action tends slowly to reof traffic on double track lines may cause a certain amount of rail creep (either with or against the direction of trailic) Rail-creep is kept under control by the use of anti-creep devices. The type of lubrlcator shown, however, will accommodate a considerable amount of rail creep because of its universal mounting acting in conjunction with the above-mentioned primary piston displacement feature.

It may appear that there would be considerminimum and maximum rail deflections permissible in railway practice. Theoretically the hydraulic system could be'designed to handle any deflection regardless of its amplitude. Practical considerations, however, call for restrictions in the ratio between areas of major and minor cylinders.

' The apparatus may be considered to include as important arts lubricant-pumping means adapted to supply lubricant through the nozzles tothe rail head at low pressure and in very precis proportion to the degree of operation of the lubricant-pumping means, and rolling-stock-operated means for actuating the. lubricant-pumping means a, precisely determined amount at each operation. It should be understood that any one of several elements may be considered as the element of the lubricant-pumping means through which this pumping means is actuated, for example this first element may be the arm 52, the shaft 53, or the one-way clutch.

It will be evident that in the hydraulic form of lubricator the primary piston may be made of such large diameter as compared with that of the secondary piston that a very minute or micrometric deflection of the rail will operate the lubricant pump sufficiently tov supply lubricant to the rail head. This adjustment is so precise that the lubricant may be supplied by the slight rail deflection due to the approach of rolling stock, thus assuring lubrication of the first wheel. Hitherto such action if produced at all would be produced by positioning the initial rolling-stockoperated device a substantial distance in advance of the nozzle devices. I

It should be understood that various changes may be made in the construction and arrangement and that various features may be used without others without departing from the true scope and spirit of the invention.

What I claim is: v

,1. In, a track lubricator having a nozzle device to direct lubricant to a rail head, the combina-' tion of a nozzle-feeding and measuring device operable by an actuating member thereof to supply lubricant to said rail head in proportion to the movements of such actuating member, means for determining definite limits for the movement of said actuating member and rail operated means for actuating said actuating member to a predetermined extent comprising yieldable' means for multiplying the movement of the-rail and yielding upon stoppage of said actuating memher as it reaches its corresponding limiting position.

2. In a track lubricator having a nozzle device to direct lubricant to a railhead, the combination of a nozzle-feeding device comprising a metering pump device operable by an actuating member thereof to supply lubricant to said rail headi-in precise proportion to the movements of such actuating member and simultaneously to draw in lubricant in the same amount .as that pumped out, means for limiting the movement of said actuating member and yieldable rollingstock-operated means for multiplying the movement imparted by the rolling stock and moving said actuating'member to a predetermined limiting position, and yielding as said actuating member reaches said predetermined fixed positions.

3. In a track lubricator, the combination with a nozzle device attached to and engaging the inner side of the head of the outer rail at a curve and a lubricant container, of a lubricant-pumping unit connected by flexible ducts to said nozzle device and to said container and including an greater cross section than said plunger and actuated by the passage of rollingstock and pressure relief means for said chamber operable when the plunger reaches its limiting position.

6. In a track lubricator having one or more nomle devices to direct lubricant to a rail head, the combination of a nozzle-feeding device operable through a shaft and an arm proj eeting therefrom to supply lubricant to said rail head in proportion to the movement of said shaft, and railoperated means for actuating said shaft complunger reaches its limiting position, a reservoir upright reciprocable actuating member, means for operating said actuating member from said rail, and means for preventing the cramping of said reciprocable actuating member in said lubricant-pumping unit including a universal connection between the rail and the upper end of said actuating member and a universal connection supporting the lubricant-pumping unit.

4t In a track lubricator, the combination with a nozzle device attached to and engaging the inner side of the head of the outer rail at a curve and a lubricant container, of lubricant-pumping means comprising a lubricant-pump connected to said nozzle device and to said container; a hydraulic system for operating said lubricant pump including a reciprocating pump having an upright cylinder and a piston and a piston rod; and means for operating said piston rod without cramping including a-universal connection between said rail and the piston rod and a universal connection support for said cylinder.

5. In a track lubricator having one or more nozzle devices to direct lubricant to a rail head,

the combination of a nozzle feeding device opera able through a shaft and an arm projecting therefrom to supply lubricant to said rail head in proportion to the movement of said shaft, and rail-operated means for actuating said shaft comprising a reciprocable plunger connected to said arm to move it in both directions, means effective to return the plunger to its normal position, adjustable means for limiting the movement of the plunger away from its normal position, and hydraulic means for actuating said plunger including a hydraulic pressure chamber into which said plunger extends, a pump connected to said chamber and having a reciprocating memb r (i into which the hydraulic fluid from the pressure relief means passes and means including a suction valve whereby hydraulic fluid from the reservoir is drawn back into said pressure chamber.

7. In a track lubricator having one or more nozzle devices to direct lubricant to a railhead, the combination of a nozzle-feeding deviceoperable through a rock-shaft and an arm projecting therefrom to supply lubricant to said rail head in proportion to the movement .of said shaft, and

rolling-stock-operated means including a secondary cylinder, a secondary piston member for said cylinder connected to said arm to move it i both directions, meansfor limiting the operating movement of the secondary piston, means urging said arm to. its normal position, a primary cylinder, a primary piston therein connected to the rail for direct downward operation thereby, means urging the primary piston upwardly, a hydraulic pressure chamber connecting said cylinders, and pressure relief means for said chamber, the primary piston being of greater diameter than 'the secondary piston whereby a very small downward movement of the primary piston will produce a working stroke of-the secondary piston irrespective of the position of the rail between its extreme depressed or raised positions.

8. In a track lubricator having one or more nozzle devicesto direct lubricant to a rail head, the combination of a nozzle-feeding device operable through a rock-shaft and an arm projecting therefrom to supply lubricant to said rail head in proportion to the movement of said shaft; and

rolling-stock-operated means including a secondarycylinder, a secondary piston member for said cylinder connected to said arm to move it in both directions, means, for limiting the operating movement of the secondary piston, means urging said arm to its normal position, a primary cylinder connected at its lower part to the lower part of the secondary cylinder, a primary piston in the primary cylinder, a spring interposed be-' tween the bottom of said primary cylinder and the primary piston to urge the same upwardly,

a piston rod connecting the rail and primary piston whereby the latter is depressed by said rail,

a relief valve in said piston, a reservoir to receive fluid rising through said relief valve, and a check valve through which hydraulic liquidis drawn 1s from said reservoir into said cylinder ward movement of the primary piston.

upon up- 9. ma track lubricator having. nozzle means to direct lubricant to a head of a rail, the combinain one direction tomove the outer "end of said' am at a faster rate than the movement of the plunger and through a pathjimited at one end by said set screw.

10. In a track lubricator having nozzlev means to direct lubricant to a head of a rail, the combination of a nozzle-feeding device including a rotatable element movable step by step, means including a rock arm for operating said rotatable element to supply lubricant to said head,

spring means for yieldably moving the outer end of said arm in one direction, adjustable means for limiting the movement of said arm in one direction, a vertically reciprocatory plunger depressed by downward movement of said rail, means for raising said plunger when the rail rises, means operated by said plunger by movement thereof in one direction to move the outer end of said arm at a faster rate than the movement of the plunger and through a path limited by said set screw.

. 11. In a track lubricator having one or more nozzle devices to direct lubricant to a rail head, the combination of a nozzle-feeding device operable through a rock-member and anarm projecting therefrom to supply lubricant to said rail head in proportion to the movement of said rock member, and rolling-stock-operated means including a secondary cylinder, a secondary piston member for said cylinder connected to said arm to move it in both directions, means for limiting the movement of the secondary piston, means urging said 'arm to its normal position, a primary 14 cylinder, 9. primary 1 iston therein connected to the rail for direct downward operation thereby, means urging the primary piston upwardly, a hydraulic pressure chamber connecting said cylinders, and pressure relief means'for said chamher, the primary piston being of greater diameter than the secondary piston whereby a very small downward movement of the primary piston will produce a working stroke of the secondary piston.

12. In a track lubricator having oneor more nozzle devices to direct lubricant to a rail head, the combination of a nozzle-feeding device operable through a rock-member and an arm projecting therefrom to supply lubricant to said rail head in proportion to the movement of said rock-member, and rolling-stock-operated means including a secondary cylinder, a secondary piston member for said cylinder acting on said arm to move it in one direction, means for limiting the movement of the secondary piston, means urging said arm to its normal position, a primary cylinder, a primary piston therein connected to the rail for direct downward operation thereby,

means to move the primary piston upwardly, a hydraulic pressure chamber connecting said cylinders, and pressure relief means for said chamher, the primary piston being of greater diameter than the secondary piston whereby a very small downward movement of the primary piston will produce a working stroke of the secondary piston.

'ROBERT S. M'ENNIE. J REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,237,312 Overmier et a1 Apr. 8, 1941 1,205,711 Clark Nov, 21, 1916 1,930,400 Stilwell get; 10, 1933 2,029,828 Mennie .1 Feb. 4, 1936 '2,185,810 Heidenthal Jan, 2, 1940 2,220,716 Hetsch Nov. 5, 1940 2,223,714 Bates Dec. 3, 1940 2,296,365

Moore Sept. 22, 1942 

